Abstract
Global aging and increasing multimorbidity are questioning the sustainability of healthcare systems. Healthy aging is at the top of the world political agenda, as a possible means for hindering the collapse of care systems. In the aging process, the transition to retirement can lead to an improvement or a deterioration of physical and psychological health. Digital health coaching technology can support older adults at this stage, but what must be the role of such a solution in promoting healthy aging and shaping sustainable care? This qualitative study, carried out in Italy in 2019, involved 15 older workers, retirees, and colleagues. Based on a user-centered design approach, this study aims at gathering older adults’ feelings on a digital health coaching technology for exploring this solution’s potential in promoting healthy aging. Findings highlighted that the digital health coach may help older adults improve several health determinants, e.g., physical activity, cognitive capabilities, and social life, but it can also entail the risk of stigma and break people’s privacy. The latter can be guaranteed by technology customization and codesign. Further research on the digital health coach benefits to boost healthy aging is needed to understand its potential for shaping future sustainable healthcare.
Highlights
Based on a user-centered design approach, this study aims at gathering older adults’ feelings on a digital health coaching technology for exploring this solution’s potential in promoting healthy aging
Findings highlighted that the digital health coach may help older adults improve several health determinants, e.g., physical activity, cognitive capabilities, and social life, but it can entail the risk of stigma and break people’s privacy
Digital health coach technology may have an important potential in supporting older adults in their transition from work to retirement and mitigating the possible negative effects on health and well-being of this crucial existential change
Summary
During the three decades, the number of older people in the EU is projected to follow an upward path, peaking at 149.2 million inhabitants in 2050 Their relative share in the total population will gradually increase and is expected to reach 28.5% in 2050 [1]. Despite people living longer, the healthy life-year expectancy, i.e., the number of years free from disability, was estimated at 64.2 years for women and 63.7 years for men in the EU-27 in 2018 [2] This means that about 9 years of later life can be characterized by one or more age-related chronic diseases (multimorbidity), this resulting in a lower quality of life, and in a dramatic increase of the healthcare expenditure [3]. The increasing number of people with long-term care need is questioning the formal and informal healthcare systems sustainability due to the mismatch between care demand and availability of healthcare professionals and of public economic resources [4]
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